by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Things did not go quite as planned Monday night for City Council member Jerry Holland. With JEA managing director and CEO Walt Bussells, Holland went before the Neptune Beach City Council with hopes of convincing the beach town to at least consider allowing JEA to take over the town’s utility services.
To borrow from “Top Gun,” Holland crashed and burned.
Expecting a heavy turnout in favor of the switch, Holland was instead greeted by many Neptune Beach residents — as well as officials from Atlantic and Jacksonville Beach — adamantly opposed to a JEA presence in Neptune Beach.
The lack of support was puzzling, especially considering the results of a survey Holland sent to 2,000 of Neptune Beach’s 7,500 residents. The survey was to determine whether residents wanted the Neptune Beach City Council to at least consider JEA services. Although a relatively small percentage of the surveys came back, there was overwhelming support for Holland’s initiative.
Of the 185 responses, 147 were in favor of looking into JEA taking over electric, water and sewer services; 27 were opposed to any JEA involvement; eight wanted Neptune Beach to consider just water and sewer services; and three wanted just JEA’s electric service.
“It was a disaster,” said Holland. “I wish there could have been just one person speak in favor of it, considering 79 percent of those responding favored it.”
Longtime Neptune Beach resident and City Council member Harriet Pruette says Neptune Beach autonomy isn’t as big a deal to her as beaches unity. She’d rather see the three beach towns — Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach — work together to provide essential services than become fragmented over such issues as fire departments, water and sewage and electric service.
“I am in favor of keeping things at the beach,” said Pruette, who was elected to Council in 2000. “I am in favor of the beaches working together to help ourselves. If we don’t stay together and work together, we’ll be overtaken by the big sister [Jacksonville]. We can’t afford to be an isolationist, but at the same time we can’t sell our souls to Jacksonville.”
In addition to her opposition to Holland’s proposal, Pruette questioned the timing of bringing Bussells to the meeting in the first place. Pruette, who admitted Neptune Beach has experienced water problems recently but is addressing them, also questioned the validity of Holland’s survey and its results.
“I think Jerry Holland picked an inopportune time to do this,” said Pruette, adding that the survey was only sent to registered voters, not the city’s 3,500 utility customers. I think a lot of people that responded favorably to his survey were just frustrated at this time because of our water and sewer problems.”
If any good did come out of the meeting, Pruette said it was the apparent unity that is suddenly popular at the beach. To her knowledge, it has been many years since the mayors and city managers of all the beaches communities not only attended the same meeting, but all seemed to be on the same page. Mayor John Meserve and City Manager Jim Hanson represented Atlantic Beach, Mayor Dick Brown and City Manager Dick Linn represented Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach was represented by Mayor Bob Marsden and City Manager George Forbes.
“It used to be the beaches hardly ever talked to each other. I think last night [Monday] was a good example of how that has changed,” said Pruette. “Marsden talked about possibly sharing some services in the future and I think we are all on the same wavelength.
“As I’ve said before, we need Jacksonville and Jacksonville needs us. But, we can remain independent.”